diff --git a/subr/build_init.subr b/subr/build_init.subr
index 9e76527..d3e4ce1 100644
--- a/subr/build_init.subr
+++ b/subr/build_init.subr
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 #
 
 buildp_init_args() {
-	local _group="" _last_pkg="" _pkg_names_unknown="" _rc=0; _status="";
+	local	_foundfl=0 _group="" _last_pkg="" _pkg_names_unknown="" _rc=0\
+		EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS_NOAUTO; _status="";
+
 	if [ -z "${BUILD_HNAME:-}" ]\
 	&& ! BUILD_HNAME="$(hostname)"; then
 		_rc=1; _status="Error: failed to obtain hostname.";
@@ -51,11 +53,18 @@ buildp_init_args() {
 				fi;
 				if [ -z "${BUILD_GROUPS}" ]; then
 					BUILD_GROUPS="${EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS}";
-				else	for _group in ${BUILD_GROUPS}; do
-						if ! rtl_lmatch "${EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS}" "${_group}"; then
-							_rc=1; _status="Error: unknown build group \`${_group}'."; break;
+				else	_foundfl=0; for _group in ${BUILD_GROUPS}; do
+						if rtl_lmatch "${EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS}" "${_group}"; then
+							_foundfl=1; break;
 						fi;
 					done;
+					if [ "${_foundfl}" -eq 0 ]; then
+						_foundfl=0; for _group in ${BUILD_GROUPS}; do
+							if rtl_lmatch "${EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS}" "${_group}"; then
+								_rc=1; _status="Error: unknown build group \`${_group}'."; break;
+							fi;
+						done;
+					fi;
 				fi;
 				if [ "${_rc:-0}" -eq 0 ]; then
 					if [ -n "${ARG_DIST}" ]; then
diff --git a/subr/ex_pkg.subr b/subr/ex_pkg.subr
index e07d4da..c1140d4 100644
--- a/subr/ex_pkg.subr
+++ b/subr/ex_pkg.subr
@@ -133,10 +133,10 @@ ex_pkg_load_vars() {
 #
 # ex_pkg_load_groups() - load all available build groups
 #
-# Return:	zero (0) on success, non-zero (>0) on failure, build groups loaded and ${EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS} set post-return.
+# Return:	zero (0) on success, non-zero (>0) on failure, build groups loaded and ${EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS} and ${EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS_NOAUTO} set post-return.
 #
 ex_pkg_load_groups() {
-	local  _build_groups="" _fname="" _group="" _groups="";
+	local  _build_groups="" _build_groups_noauto="" _fname="" _group="" _groups="";
 	for _fname in $(find ./groups -name *.group | sort); do
 		rtl_fileop source_opt "${_fname}";
 		if [ -n "${GROUP_TARGET:-}" ]; then
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ ex_pkg_load_groups() {
 			if [ -n "${GROUP_AUTO:-}" ]; then
 				if [ "${GROUP_AUTO:-0}" -ne 0 ]; then
 					_build_groups="$(rtl_lconcat "${_build_groups}" "${_group}")";
+				else
+					_build_groups_noauto="$(rtl_lconcat "${_build_groups_noauto}" "${_group}")";
 				fi;
 				unset GROUP_AUTO;
 			else
@@ -157,6 +159,7 @@ ex_pkg_load_groups() {
 		fi;
 	done;
 	EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS="$(rtl_uniq "${_build_groups}")";
+	EX_PKG_BUILD_GROUPS_NOAUTO="$(rtl_uniq "${_build_groups_noauto}")";
 };
 
 #